The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Vitex negundo hereinafter referred to by the varietal domination ‘Little Madame’.
Pedigree and history: Under the direction of David Knauft, seeds from Vitex negundo ‘Heterophylla’ were irradiated with 3krad gamma radiation in 2006. These seeds were planted in a cultivated area in Watkinsville, Ga. in 2007. The new plant was selected from plants growing from these seeds and was initially called Vhet-3krad, seedling 1. This selected plant was asexually propagated via stem cuttings in Watkinsville, Ga., and was transferred to Carol Robacker's breeding program in 2009. The new variety was renamed Vhet-3kr′ and subsequently renamed as ‘Little Madame’. Three asexually propagated progeny of the new variety were planted in a field plot (randomized block design) in Griffin, Ga. (zone 8a) in June 2009. Plants of the new variety have been evaluated for five years at this site. One of the three progeny broke during planting, and never fully recovered. An additional three asexually propagated plants of the new variety were planted into the Griffin, Ga. field plot in the Spring of 2012. These plants have grown well, and appear to have vigor and other, characteristics like the plants from the 2009 planting. On Nov. 1, 2011, 52 rooted liners of the new plant were shipped to a company in Bonsall, Calif. for evaluation.
Height and width data has been collected annually. Cold damage was assessed each spring. Mean panicle length and number of panicles per compound panicle were counted each summer. First bloom and re-bloom dates were noted each year. Data was collected on leaf yellowing, leaf drop, and leaf spot in July, August and September of each year.
‘Little Madame’ has been grown in an irrigated field plot in Griffin, Ga. Plants have been fertilized annually in the spring. Height after five summer's growth is about 2.1 m. Stems are R.H.S. (Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007) yellow-green RHS 146C the first year, becoming grey-brown RHS 199D the second year, round, and covered with very short curved hairs.
The trunk color is grey-brown RHS 199C. Exfoliation was not seen. Leaves emerge with a yellow-green RHS 144A upper surface, changing to a deeper yellow-green RHS 146C during the summer, and becoming lighter yellow-green RHS 146B in the fall. Fall leaves also have streaks of greyed-orange RHS 177A. Lower leaf surface color is yellow-green RHS 144B at emergence, becoming greyed-green RHS 194C in summer and fall.
Leaves are palmately-compound, 7 cm long×5 cm wide, with three to five leaflets. Margins are entire or smooth with an occasional jagged edge, and with acuminate apices and bases. The upper leaf surface has occasional short curved hairs, though the margins have many short hairs. The lower leaf surface has scattered short curved hairs, while the veins have many short curved hairs with scattered longer hairs. Leaves are slightly waxy and dull. Venation is simple. Leaf arrangement on stems is opposite.
Flower buds are violet RHS 85B with a dark violet RHS N88A blotch at the tip. Flowers occur in an elongated compound panicle, with a typical length of 8 cm. At emergence, flower petals are dark violet RHS N88A. At full bloom, flower petals are violet-blue RHS 94B with blotches of darker violet-blue RHS 94A on the anterior lip. The anterior lip also has a blotch of white RHS N155B. The peduncle is grayed-green RHS 194B. The number of individual flowers per inflorescence ranges from 25 to 53. Petals are 6 mm×3 mm. Sepals are greyed-green RHS 194C on the lower surface (the upper surface is not apparent). Anthers are dark violet RHS 86A with filaments light purple RHS 76B.